


listen, listen (i love you)

by junhoonie



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Fluff, Lowercase, M/M, Mark Centric, Mutual Pining, donghyuck is soft, happy birthday mark, mark is soft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-01
Updated: 2017-08-01
Packaged: 2018-12-09 19:38:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,294
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11675724
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/junhoonie/pseuds/junhoonie
Summary: mark falls in love with donghyuck's voice. then, he falls in love with everything else





	listen, listen (i love you)

**i. synchronization of your dreams**  


 

mark checked his phone once more, triple checking that it was definitely the time the producer had given him earlier. 9:00 flashed back at him, and mark grinned to himself, pushing the door open. 

he was surprised to see donghyuck in front of a microphone, listening intently to the producer's instructions. the surprise wasn't that donghyuck was in a studio - the younger had told him he was recording something, but mark hadn't realized they were both being featured on the same song. 

he wasn't sure how he would feel debuting with donghyuck. mark liked him, it was hard not to, but sometimes the younger boy was a lot to handle, and add that to a debut. mark didn't think he could handle it.

 

"oh, minhyung!" the producer finally noticed him, and mark turned to bow. 

"sorry, i didn't realise donghyuck was in here, i'll just go wait outside." he started to back out thiv room, when the producer stood. the man opened the door separating the recording booth and his control room, ushering mark in.

"just wait in here, donghyuck's only going to be a few more minutes."

mark nodded, perching on a nearby chair. seeing as he was lucky enough to be able to sit in a recording, he might as well watch and learn. the producer told donghyuck to take it from the top, and the younger boy nodded, flashing mark a quick grin before the music started. 

 

a familiar backing track flowed through the studio, this time topped off with donghyuck's adlibs and the younger boy opened his mouth to sing and suddenly mark felt all the air leave his lungs.

he had heard his best friend sing before - obviously, they trained together for the past five years - but the way donghyuck was singing now was like nothing he'd heard before. then there was something else mark had somehow never noticed, and he gulped when realized. 

hyuck looked beautiful when he sang. 

 

mark didn't know if donghyuck looked this good all the time, he'd never really thought about his friend like that, but he couldn't help but wonder now. a bad looking person couldn't possibly look as ethereal as donghyuck did when he sang, right? 

then suddenly it was over and donghyuck was getting ready to leave and the glow from singing had subsided but mark thought the younger boy still looked pretty. 

everyone around him was always talking about joohyun noona's visuals and mark started to wonder why they would do that when donghyuck was there too. then again, boys shouldn't really think boys are pretty, especially not boys that would be famous one day and therefore never able to be in a relationship no matter the gender. as mark rapped his thoughts drifted off to donghyuck again, and mark didn't think he'd mind debuting with him if he got to see donghyuck sing all the time.

 

**ii. nct #127 - the first mini album**  


 

for reasons mark couldn't comprehend, sm were making the two youngest members record their parts the latest, even though both of them had school and then practice the next day. 

mark had just finished up his vocals for paradise, and the producer had decided to give him a break and let donghyuck record some of his vocals. mark hung around the studio, as did taeyong, who was monitoring the two. (mark didn't blame him; he and donghyuck had been pulled apart from playful wrestling matches quite a few times in practice that day).

"are you nervous for 127's debut?" taeyong asked, trying to ease the silence, and mark shook his head.

"it seems more like a comeback then a debut for me." mark replied. "just like a comeback with new members." it the same thing he had told donghyuck the night before, when the younger had asked, before confessing that he was a little nervous.

taeyong nodded. "it's good you see it like that." he said softly, and mark nodded awkwardly. he wasn't the best at feelings, neither was taeyong, so the short conversation was awkward and disjointed.

 

it was then that in the booth, donghyuck dove into his vocals for once again, and mark stared, entranced. donghyuck was an angel when he sang. 

"hyung," he started tentatively, and taeyong nodded to indicate he was listening. "do you think donghyuck looks pretty?" he asked, voice small and nervous.

taeyong turned to face him, looking at mark so intensely that mark felt like taeyong could read his thoughts. the elder searched mark's eyes, breaking the contact suddenly, like he was disappointed. the rapper heaved a sigh before answering. " _haechannie_  is good looking. i wouldn't call him pretty, but he's good looking, yes." 

it was silent after that, mark too scared to strike up a new conversation and taeyong too awkward.

"mark?" the producer called once donghyuck was done with once again, saving mark from having to sit in silence for another ten minutes. "you and haechan harmonize in this song, so it would be good to hear you two together." 

 

"oh, okay." mark rushed off his seat to join donghyuck -  _haechan_  - in the booth. the younger boy grinned toothily at him as he entered and almost knocked over a mic stand.

"graceful as useful, i see." donghyuck joked, eyes twinkling, and mark let out a little laugh, cheeks reddening a little. 

the music started before he could reply, and the two boys fell under the spell of concentration. mark was glad their part was nearer the start of the song, it was less time to be distracted by donghyuck, who was cute when he was focused.

then he sung with donghyuck, looking into his eyes as the younger boy smiled at him, then continuing into a part he sung alone, smile not leaving his face. 

it was then he realized he was in love, with donghyuck, haechan, whatever he called himself. it didn't matter to mark. 

 

**iii. chewing gum**

 

mark didn't even have an excuse to be in there, he had recorded his parts for both versions of the track, and all the other dream members had gone back to the practice room, which is really where mark should be, learning how to actually use the damn hoverboards.

 

he had an excuse if anyone cared to ask, he wanted to make sure as a leader that everything was running okay. maybe people assumed that he was supporting his best friend, maybe they were just all so used to his presence in the studio whenever donghyuck (he had given up even trying to think of the boy as haechan) was there that they stopped asking.

the other day donghyuck had approached him, asked if he wanted him to sit in mark's recording sessions, to which mark had shrugged and responded with a casual 'do what you want'.

(he wished donghyuck had  _not_  wanted to, mark probably looked ugly when he was rapping)

 

mark looked up from his phone when hyuck started to sing. it was only the chorus, but hyuck had his eyes closed, totally into it. without even realizing he was doing it, mark lifted his phone and took a blurred picture of donghyuck, tucking his phone away guiltily afterwards. he didn't know how he would explain it if donghyuck ever found the photo, if it was any other member he could brush it off with a 'you looked especially ugly' (except sicheng, no one could do that to sicheng), because that would be playing off donghyuck's insecurities and mark would never do that to him. 

 

donghyuck never saw the picture, and for a while it was the only photo in mark's favourite album.

 

**iv. side track; side a**  


 

mark just wanted to be alone. that wasn't happening. 

 

donghyuck wasn't making any particular noise, the younger boy lying on the floor looking at something on his phone (why he wasn't lying on his bed, less than a metre away, mark didn't know. he wasn't going to question it either. donghyuck had his quirks). however, at this point, mark was hyper aware of everything the boy did. 

he wanted to write lyrics, but nothing was coming to mind. it felt like he was suffocating. 

it was meant to be a song about a risky love, and mark had already seen the chorus (he had been glad to hear donghyuck was going to be singing). taeyong had shown him all the lyrics he had so far, but mark was still coming up with nothing. he was only a teenager, he had spent a fair amount of his life training to debut. what was he meant to know about a risky love? 

 

mark heaved out a sigh, laying his lyric book to the side yet again. if he wasn't going to write, then he was going to sleep. the sound broke the silence in the room, and donghyuck looked up from whatever was so fascinating on his screen to shoot mark a concerned glance. "writer's block?" 

 mark nodded, running a hand through his hair. it was dry and rough. he wondered if donghyuck's hair was still soft, or if the dying had coarsened it too. he hoped not. 

 donghyuck smiled at him encouragingly. "i'll go get you a drink. mark hyung fighting!" he let out a little embarrassed giggle at the end, and mark felt his heart soar and air come rushing back into his lungs all at once. as soon as hyuck had backed out of the room and quietly closed the door mark was scrabbling for his lyric book, scribbling down everything that was popping into his head. 

donghyuck was only away for ten minutes, in that time mark had managed to piece together most of his verse. it still needed work, but it would do for now. 

 

"did you write?" hyuck asked, voice cracking adorably as he rested a mug of hot chocolate on mark's bedside table. "how did you get inspiration so quick?" 

 mark shrugged, having to look away from the younger boy. "it just came to me." 

"can i read?" he asked, pouting when mark shook his head. "please hyung." he whined, tugging on mark's sleeve until the rapper relented. 

"fine." he handed donghyuck the book, trying to withdraw into his hoodie so he wouldn't have to see the other boy's reaction. he hoped it wasn't too obvious. no, scratch that, he hoped it would be obvious so he would never have to go through the pain of confessing through words actually spoken out loud. 

 

"when you smile you're shining." donghyuck read. "that's cute." he quickly scanned the rest of the page, reading it back to mark a few moments later. "you're dangerously beautiful. my dilemma. what's scary is the way you talk; you give me goosebumps when you smile. my focus is all you, but the problem is i don't hate it." 

mark chewed nervously on his bottom lip as donghyuck read it again, waiting for the younger boy's verdict. 

"don't do that." donghyuck said absent-mindedly, eyes glued to the page. "you've said some of this to me before, i think. who's it about?" 

 mark froze. he probably had said it to donghyuck before, casually, so that the younger boy wouldn't suspect his feelings, and maybe just think mark was complimenting him. "uh, i-it's for this girl. at school. you don't know her." he finally stammered out, feeling guilty under donghyuck's stare. 

 

"oh." hyuck frowned, and mark couldn't help but feel as if he said something wrong. "well, if you like her enough for all this, you should probably tell her." the younger boy's voice was suddenly wavering. 

 "hyuck?" mark said with concern, reaching to clasp the other boy's hand. "what's wrong?" 

 "i think i hear taeil hyung calling me." donghyuck said quickly, pulling his hand away and jumping up and off the bed, almost falling over in his speed to exit the room. after a few minutes mark left their bedroom too, to find taeil sleeping on the couch and donghyuck nowhere to be seen. 

 

disappointed, he went to find taeyong to get his lyrics sorted properly. it was for the best if donghyuck didn't know they were about him. 

 

**v. nct #127 limitless - the 2nd mini album**  


 

it was doyoung with him in the studio that time, watching donghyuck sing, and shakily mark asked him the same question he had asked taeyong.

"do you think it's okay to think boys are pretty?" he asked, and doyoung - much like taeyong - froze him in place with a piercing stare. 

"i'm not sure," he hummed after a moment of thought. "i've not really thought about it much."

"oh." mark said quietly. he went back to watching donghyuck. the younger had very red hair now, and while mark didn't like it, the younger boy still looked pretty to him.

 

"i think it's okay for you to think donghyuck's pretty though." doyoung said after a while and mark nodded, not really sure what to say.

"i think he thinks you're pretty too." the older boy added, and when mark turned to look at him, doyoung was smiling at him encouragingly. "so you should tell him that you think he's pretty." 

"he's beautiful when he sings." mark muttered, and doyoung's smile turned fond.

"so tell him."

"one day." mark promised, smiling when donghyuck made eye contact with him. 

 

**vi. the first - the 1st mini album**  


 

donghyuck had a lot of lines this comeback, mark was happy. sure, he had a substantial amount on all the comebacks, but he gained more pleasure hearing donghyuck's voice then his own. it was chenle who was recording just then, mark and donghyuck nodding along like proud parents.

 

"have you had your first love yet?" donghyuck asked, taking mark by surprise. 

he thought for a moment. was he in love with donghyuck? he would do anything for the younger boy to smile, to laugh, to not be sad ever, was that love? "yeah." mark said after a while, a smile spreading across his face. "i think i have."

donghyuck looked disappointed for a moment, then wistful, before his regular smile appeared again. "so i have i." he announced, and mark's heart stopped. "michael jackson." hyuck continued. 

"he's dead." mark commented, his heart resuming the ultra-fast beat mark had become accustomed to feeling whenever he was near donghyuck.

"and i cried for days." donghyuck replied easily. "his singing voice is still my favourite."

"your voice is mine." mark blurted out, and donghyuck's tan skin flushed red. 

"thanks." he mumbled, going back to watching chenle.

 

**vii. nct #127 cherry bomb - the 3rd mini album**

"mark's going through puberty." taeyong explained to the camera, and mark grinned. it only widened when suddenly he was close enough to wherever donghyuck was to hear his voice, as he eagerly told taeil a story about one of his many adventures from back on jeju.

(mark always thought he was lucky that he was close enough to donghyuck to hear his stories. there was a way he told them that mark loved, and sometimes he joked to hyuck that he should quit the idol life and instead narrate audio books. "but then no one would appreciate my exceptional visuals." donghyuck had replied, sending mark into another bout of laughter)

mark wondered if taeyong would blame mark's constant watching of donghyuck on puberty, deciding it would probably be best if he didn't ask the older, who had gotten a lot less awkward with feelings, unfortunately. 

he was happy when donghyuck approached him, happier still when he started to explain something in his storyteller way.

 

"are you even listening?" donghyuck whined, and mark nodded. he could never not listen when the younger was speaking, not when mark loved his voice so much.

"do you like your voice?" he asked, ignoring the weird look donghyuck gave him.

"obviously. it's a gift from god." he bragged.

"seriously though, hyuck."

"it's okay." donghyuck shrugged. "sometimes i wish it was a little deeper, but it's unique, right?"

"very unique." mark nodded. "i love your voice."

"i like your face." yuta joined in their conversation, and donghyuck nodded, spreading his arms out. "that's right." he sighed. "bathe me in more compliments."

"okay." mark agreed at the same time yuta snorted. "i'm not building your ego any higher, kid."

"that's fine." donghyuck stuck his tongue out at yuta. "i have mark hyung anyway."

 

("i'm going through puberty." mark answered when taeyong later questioned him on why he kept showering donghyuck in compliments.)

 

**viii. side track; side b**

 

the two of them had snuck up to the rooftop of their dorm to watch the stars. sure, they were going to get in trouble for it later, they had practice early the next day, but it was worth it.

 

"hyung," hyuck sat up, looking down at mark. with the stars outlining him, donghyuck looked celestial. 

"yes?" mark replied, looking away from donghyuck and back at the night sky.

"i have something to ask you." donghyuck sounded nervous, and mark didn't like it.

"so ask." mark said, stretching lazily so he was sitting up too.

"why do you always sit in my recording sessions?" the younger asked shyly, and mark blushed.

"you noticed?"

"it was hard not to." donghyuck laughed softly. when his laugh died out it was silent between the two, as mark searched for the right words.

 

"i think your voice is beautiful." mark confessed. "and i think you're the prettiest person i've ever seen."

it was donghyuck's turn to blush, and then suddenly the two of them were kissing. the two of them fitting together just as easily as mark's heart had fallen for donghyuck.

the two of them parted after seconds, mark's heart racing. "i think you're the best kisser too." he breathed out, and donghyuck's laugh rang out in the night.

"you're not so bad yourself, mark lee." 

 

**ix. bonus track 1**  


 

jaehyun came back down from checking on the two youngest on the roof, blushing. 

 "why didn't you bring them back?" taeyong asked. "it's getting late." 

jaehyun's blush deepened to the point he was tomato red, and doyoung sniggered in the corner. "they were a little... busy?" jaehyun finally stammered out, taeyong shooting him a judging look. 

 "well they should be busy sleeping." he grumbled. "i'll go get them then, seeing as everyone else in this team doesn't seem to mind sleep deprived teens..." taeyong's voice trailed off as he started his journey up to find the pair. 

 "i should maybe go stop him." jaehyun says to doyoung, the two of them gazing after the leader as he goes, still murmuring things to himself. he's surprised when doyoung shakes his head. 

 "taeyongie's going to need to find out anyway. this way his reaction will entertain me." 

 

jaehyun gaped at doyoung, wide eyed. "you knew?" 

 doyoung smirked, looking far too smug about everything. "who do you think helped the two brats onto the roof. they needed a nice setting to finally stop repressing their feelings. i thought everyone knew, mark was blatantly obvious, constantly asking everyone if they thought donghyuck was pretty." 

 "i thought it was a puberty thing though." jaehyun replied. "like, experimentation." 

doyoung rolled his eyes at that, ready to reply when suddenly taeyong reappeared, looking very flustered. "i, uh, i told them to be down before ten minutes." he said, cheeks pink. 

meanwhile, on the rooftop, two teens were kissing again, mark already writing lyrics in his head about being addicted to donghyuck's lips, and seeing the galaxy in his eyes. he relays this all the donghyuck, who blushes furiously, promptly whacking mark's arm for being 'a cheesy idiot oh my god, why do i even like you?' 

"you love me." mark sings, leaning heavily on to donghyuck, and the younger boy doesn't deny it. he can't.

**Author's Note:**

> okay so first of all happy birthday mark bby ily i hope sm give you lots of rest today even though they probably wont but then again maybe i'm just a bitter markhyuck stan  
> i will read back over this fic again to make sure no mistakes remain, but if you spot any let me know!!  
> come holla at me on tumblr donghyucklees


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